Book Excerpt

Dinner went by uneventfully, and Layla continued to talk with Carol and Cristina who were sitting next to Damian. She tried her best to ignore him and his intense eyes that seem to call out to her the entire time she looked over. Every now and then she would get caught in them and quickly look away trying to divert the conversation to the other end of the table. She had somewhat succeeded and when dinner was done she plopped herself onto the living room couch waiting for the others.

Obi, Cristina’s loyal companion, dawdled into the room and stood staring at her. “You’re going to stand there staring at me, too. What else was I supposed to do?”

He jumped onto the couch and sighing, plopped his head on her lap.

“I know exactly how you feel,” she replied, running her hand through his soft fur.

“I see Obi has found the best spot on the couch,” Henry joked.

Damian appeared behind him with Sebastian.

“You’re not wrong.” Sebastian grinned.

Damian just watched her silently as she stared right back at him. He wanted to say something, anything, but couldn’t manage a sound. He needed to talk to her, but how?

Obi, on the other hand, stared up at the three men and practically dared them to move him. Henry plopped down next to them and propped the dog on his knee. “You lucky bastard.”

Layla laughed and hit him on the shoulder. She watched from above the rim of her glass as Damian sat across from them. She could tell he wanted to say something, but she didn’t want to hear it. She wasn’t ready for that yet.

She stood up and went to the kitchen where Cristina was busy getting dessert ready. She smiled at her friend. “You think I can step outside for a second? I feel kind of warm.”

“Sure, the back door is open. I think William turned the lights on back there.”

Layla smiled and rushed out to the back porch. Sure enough, William had lit the back wooden deck and small lanterns lined the backyard. Layla always liked it back here. It was really peaceful. Cristina had set it up so that she could write outside and Layla could understand why. In the spring rose bushes and a giant peach tree decorated the yard. It was truly beautiful. Layla breathed in the fresh air and tried to control her nerves. She was standing out there for a few minutes when the door suddenly opened. When she turned around, Damian stood beneath the porch light.

Layla took a step back, and quickly realized she needed to get out of there. She tried scurrying around him, but he grabbed her arm.

“Why are you avoiding me?” he asked her.

She stopped and looked up at him, she could almost make out the hint of hurt in his eyes.

“I’m not avoiding you. I’m just cold,” Layla lied. She was trying to get away from him, as far away as possible. She could feel the heat of his hand through the thin layer of fabric on her sleeve and his pull was magnetic.

“We need to talk.”

She shook her head. “No. There’s nothing to talk about.”

He gripped her a little tighter and stepped closer to her. She could smell the scent of scotch on his breath when he spoke. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Damian’s nearness was overwhelming and she felt her willpower start to fade. “What’s there to say, Damian? If you didn’t say it to me back then, why say anything now?”

“Because I was a coward,” he said with a hint of desperation.

She smirked. “I’m glad you realized that.”

He let her take a step away from him, and she quickly headed for the door. Before she opened it his deep voice resounded through the empty space.

“I may have admitted to being a coward Layla, but I don’t give up easily. This isn’t over.”

She stood very still and briefly closed her eyes. Without saying another word, she stepped back into the warmth of the empty kitchen. She quickly gathered herself and walked down the hallway, away from Damian and towards her friends who were in the living room.

She made her way to Alyssa who placed a hand on her cheek. “Are you all right? You look a little flushed.”

Layla smiled reassuringly. “I’m fine. The wine must be having its effects on me.”

She sensed as Damian entered the room and watched as he joined them. A cheerful smile played on his lips, showing no sign that he had been affected by their interaction. She grabbed a glass of wine and gulped it down.

“Take it easy there, lush,” Henry teased.

Layla narrowed her eyes on him, and purposefully downed the rest of the wine.

About the Book

Title: Sunset Reads: Damian & Layla

Author: D.C. Triana

Genre: Romantic Suspense

One year.

It’s been one year since Agent Damian Trent left for Washington without a word.

One year since he’s seen her beautiful face.

One year since he’s heard his name on her lips.

He’s been recently called back to New York City on assignment, to catch a criminal who’s trying to infiltrate Sunset Reads. The last thing he expects is to work side by side with the woman he turned his back on.

Having her close is an unwanted distraction that he’s more than willing to ignore, if only she wasn’t so damn tempting.

Everything seems under control, until a night of feverish passion has him abandoning all thoughts of reason. Now, he will do everything in his power to get her back, and even more so to protect her.

Layla Reece wants nothing to do with the man who left her a year ago.

The man who took her heart with him, leaving her broken.

After a year of trying to forget Damian Trent, she is finally ready to move on.

But trying to forget him becomes a tedious task when he suddenly reappears in her life.

Although she fights to stay away, his magnetism is too strong and she finds herself giving into the deep timbre of his voice, and the strength and safety of his arms.

Staying away from Damian turns out to be futile, especially when his kisses consume her and his heart shatters the walls she spent so much time building.

Finding herself in danger, she now has to turn to the only man she trusts to keep her safe, but can she trust him enough to give him her heart once again?

Author Bio

D.C. Triana is a new romance author and novelist. She was born in raised in New York and is currently residing in Florida. Last March, Her dream of publishing a romance novel came true with, Sunset Reads: William & Cristina. The novel is currently holding a 4.5 star rating on Amazon as well as GoodReads. She is excited to announce her second novel in the series, Sunset Reads: Damian & Layla, releasing on December 26, 2016.

When she is not delving into her hopeless romantic thoughts, she is expanding her experiences and travelling around the world. She also will not miss an episode of the Walking Dead, has an obsession with Superman, and has watched Pride and Prejudice at least ten times. An avid fan of all types of music and dancing; she enjoys cuddling up with her puppy Obi, and helping new authors like herself. You can visit her at http://www.dctriana/com, or be part of her newsletter where you can take part in giveaways, receive updates on upcoming storylines, and get reviews on hot new titles. Sign up for her Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bXH-P9